By Rollin Hadsell Monitor Staff Writer MABANK–Although the Mabank Lady Panthers had trouble scoring, the defense stepped up to take care of business in a low-scoring 27-23 win against Crandall Dec. 6 at Mabank High School gym. The way the Lady Panthers played the first quarter, it looked as if the game was going to […]

COLUMBUS, OHIO.–American space hero and longtime Ohio U.S. senator John Glenn died Thursday at the age of 95. He had been hospitalized for more than a week at the James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth in a flight lasting just five hours aboard the Friendship 7 […]

By Pearl Cantrell Monitor Staff Writer SEVEN POINTS–Sunday night Dec. 4. traffic was stopped on State Highway 274 in Seven Points while a helicopter was landed to evacuate a man to a Tyler hospital following a collision. Jerry Starek, 52, was taken by air in critical but stable condition after having collided with through traffic […]

Rotarians learn how to starve their anger

Monitor Photo/Pearl CantrellAuthor and The Monitor reporter Robyn Wheeler talks about her second book, “104 Ways to Starve Your Anger and Feed Your Soul” to Rotarians March 1. The book features 104 short paragraphs and graphics to inspire a more positive attitude toward situations that might lead to anger, and wisdom on forgiving. “Forgiveness is a gift you really give to yourself, so forgive everyone for everything,” she said. Mabank ISD recently purchased one copy for each counselor to help students adopt more constructive behaviors and attitudes, she said.

Special to The Monitor
GUN BARREL CITY–Rotary Club of Cedar Creek Lake members heard about resisting, managing and controlling anger at the recent meeting March 1.
The Monitor reporter and Born Mad author Robyn Wheeler spoke about her recently published book titled 104 Ways to Starve Your Anger and Feed Your Soul
“I suffered with chronic anger for years. I was even kicked out of preschool when I was 4 years old because I was biting all the other kids in school,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler asked Rotarians if they were ever easily frustrated by things they perceived as unfair, got impatient when waiting in line at a store or thought of defending themselves when someone speaks ill of them, which according to The Anger Handbook by Dr. Les Carter an Dr. Frank Minirth are all signs of anger.
“Anger can destroy your mental and physical health,” she added.
“Many diseases can be brought on or aggravated by anger including hives, fibromyalgia, heart disease, arthritis and much more.”
“And when you get mad at someone, you are indirectly teaching that person to lie to you the next time around,” she added. “Lying is an immediate way to avoid not having someone yell at you. If you want spouses or children to tell the truth, don’t yell at them, but try to solve the problem instead,” she said.
Wheeler conquered her anger by changing the way she views every day situations, finding God after more than four decades of being an atheist and receiving medication for a rarely talked-about form of depression known as Dysthymic Disorder, which symptoms include pessimism, easily frustrated and angered, poor concentration, low self-esteem, complaining and moodiness.
“104 Ways offers simple, easy to use suggestions that will help a person not to get angry in the first place, like understanding another person’s point of view and not believing your way of doing things is the only way,” Wheeler said.
“Before my diagnosis and personality transformation, I found it difficult to solve problems, I just got mad. Today, I know there is a solution to all of my problems and that everything happens for a reason and a purpose,” she added.
“I’ve learned to treat my anger like an addiction. I accept what I cannot change and have no control over. I have no control over the actions and words of others, I only have control of myself.”
Wheeler suggests applying the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program to anger and is currently working on creating 12-steps that will apply to conquering anger.
104 Ways to Starve Your Anger and Feed Your Soul and Born Mad may be purchased at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. For a personalized, autographed copy or discounts on multiple copies, go to www.bornmad.org.